Triple Crown

The always-popular "All Others" wagering interest was the narrow 5-1 favorite in the third of four pools of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby Future Wager, edging a tightly bunched group of individual contenders headed by unbeaten McCraken ( 5-1).

The Risen Star Stakes (G2) became an unlikely coming out party for Brad Grady's Girvin when he captured the $400,000 test by two lengths over Untrapped, earning 50 qualifying points on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

In what will be his lone serious work in advance of the Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park March 4, Irish War Cry got the thumbs up from his conditioner when he covered five furlongs in 1:01.65 Saturday morning.

Each week BloodHorse.com looks forward to the weekend's biggest races. This week we have a full slate of stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, a Kentucky Oaks (G1) prep at Aqueduct Racetrack, and more.

The house horse has held a decided advantage in the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) in recent years, with three of the last four winners having prior form or being a regular trainee over the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots surface.

The battle for the individual favorite in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3 is expected to be tight between reigning 2-year-old champ Classic Empire, unbeaten rising stars McCraken and Mastery, along with Irish War Cry.

In his final move in advance of the Feb. 25 $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2), Guest Suite stated his readiness for his next challenge on the Triple Crown trail, covering four furlongs in a bullet :48 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 21.

Charismatic returned to the United States from the JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan on Dec. 4 and was pensioned at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, Ky. He died Feb. 19.

Firmly landing himself prominently on the charts as a serious contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), the $200,000 Keeneland September 2015 purchase now looks to make a hit out of his sophomore debut, the Risen Star (G2).

Fifteen 3-year-olds, including one owned by Sheikh Mohammed, are set for the Hyacinth Stakes Feb. 19 at Tokyo Racecourse, which carries a qualifying opportunity to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

Add the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) April 1 at Gulfstream Park to the list of Triple Crown preps being considered for M M G Stables' impressive 3-year-old El Areeb, a winner of his last four races including back-to-back graded stakes.

This past weekend the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" biggest race ran through Tampa Bay Downs in Florida resulting in some changes in week three of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top 3-Year-Old Poll.

The addition of the two Arlington stakes races lifted total stakes purses to be offered during the upcoming meet to $8.84 million, an increase of $200,000 from the $8.64 million in stakes purses offered in the 2016 spring meet.

The built up to McCraken's seasonal bow ended with results to match. Under some left-handed urging from jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., the unbeaten colt unleashed a wicked turn of foot down the middle of the track to win the $250,000 Sam F. Davis (G3).

As the regular rider for McCraken, the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3), jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. could find his current groundswell of momentum dwarfed by what could come his way should his mount prevail.

One of the more highly regarded classic prospects for 2017, McCraken gets his first chance to make good on his buildup when he makes his seasonal bow against eight others in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis (G3).

Moving right to the top in first place is the undefeated Irish War Cry (7 first-place votes, 303 points) who posted a mild upset as the 3 3/4-length winner of Saturday's Lambholm South Holy Bull (G2), at Gulfstream Park for trainer Graham Motion.